Later, much later, I give each of the men a kiss, encouraging them to sleep before the trial. I know I need some time to collect my thoughts—my wits, really. One by one the Immortals vanish into their rooms, eyes glazed from pleasure, until it’s just me and Luke. Outside my door, I grab his hand, threading his fingers with mine.

“What was that?” I ask, not sure how to put it into words. He tilts his head in question. “When you spread your wings and that light? The warmth. What was it?”

He scratches his forehead then pushes his pale hair out of his eyes. “I’m not sure,” he replies. “All of this is new to me, and I certainly don’t know how to control it but,” he swallows, “like the others, I was consumed with desire. Pure lust, but underneath that I just had the most overwhelming urge to protect you—to protect all of us.”

The warmth I felt from his wings flickers in my heart.

“From your father?”

His eyes darken. “Yes.”

“Are you worried about tomorrow?”

“I am. He’s…complicated. Powerful. Determined.”

“Sounds a little like you.”

He gives me a tight smile. “It sounds a little like all of us.”

“Well,” I say, running a hand up his arm and cupping the back of his neck, “I’m not scared. I believe that your father is formidable, but we’ve done everything we can to beat him. We survived the circles, we found one another, we’re bonded.”

“If anyone can beat my father and save the world, Valkyrie, it’s you.” He leans down and gives me a soft kiss. “Good night, Hildi.”

“Good night, Luke.”

We hold one another’s eyes for a beat longer before we part. I enter my room alone and lean against the door. Tomorrow will be the end of this. We’ll defeat Lucifer and go home. I know that for certain. That’s not what nags at my chest.

What I don’t know for sure, is what happens when we leave this place, when we’re no longer fighting in this fight, when we go back to Morgan and the Guardians?

That scares me more than facing the King of Hell.

37

Hildi

How hard I slept is a testimony of how worn out I was after days of travel and fighting, after that “dinner” with the immortals. I wake, surprisingly refreshed, and notice the outfit hanging on the back of my door. My old dirty and destroyed clothes are gone, as well as the dress I’d worn last night. Well, worn for a little while. I stare at the new outfit for a long moment, processing what’s really going on. It’s a uniform—a basic top and bottom. I shrug it on, and a strange feeling builds in the pit of my stomach. It’s only accentuated when I hear the knock at the door.

I step out and see a well-armed guard, then seven more as they stand outside my allies' rooms. They’re each dressed the same way; like criminals.

We have no weapons, no fighting gear, nothing but the summons Lucifer sent to us at the beginning of this journey. If I’ve learned anything from the circles of hell, there’s no way around it—there’s just through it.

Today we go to court.

We’re marched from our housing, lined up like school children. I’m in the lead, as I should be. I am the leader of this group. It’s why I came. To keep them focus

ed. Only the gods knew how much of a challenge that would be. As we walk down the marble stairs toward the street, a warm, sticky heat rolls up from the ground. The scent of sulfur coats my nostrils and I think about how much we’d been through to get to this point. From childish, teenage games at the Academy, the lessons and secrets, the bullying and harassment at Victorine’s hands. I’d had to tame and corral each and every Immortal. Fight through their personal demons so that they could fight one more battle as a unified front. After this they’re free to live their lives in peace. If we get out of here alive, that is.

The street is lined with residents of the City of Dis. If they were once human, it’s no longer possible to tell. Their faces are twisted, their jaws wide. Many have pointed teeth and serpent tongues and clawed, sharp nails.

We walk past them toward an imposing building. It’s dark like everything else—an ebony castle. Ornate iron gates swing open as we approach, and we climb a different set of steps, seemingly never ending. The muscles in my thighs start to quiver, exhausted from the climb. I push on, one more step, one more step, one more—

We reach the top.

I glance back and see my allies, each struggling with the stairs. Elizabeth and Darius are right behind me. The fairy's cheeks are flushed as she takes it one laborious step at a time. Darius keeps a steady pace, his dark eyes absorbing everything carefully. I have to assume that if he hasn’t shifted, then he can’t. That our abilities are contained in this place.

Behind him, Agis’ face is drawn tight, his eyes narrowed and focused on me. Rupert seems lost in his mind, calculating, surveying, strategizing. Armin takes in everything; every door, every person, every opportunity. And Marshal? Marshal looks like he hasn’t a care in this gods-forsaken place. Whatever he’s really thinking, whatever he really fears, he’s tucked it deep inside.

At the back is Luke. His wings tucked away. His jaw tight. He doesn’t look at me. He doesn’t look at anyone. Facing his father…well, it will be worse for him than any of us.

Tags: Angel Lawson Academy of Immortals Vampires
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